Find out how popular the last name Cedar is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Cedar.

Cedar, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Cedar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cedar in America

Cedar is the 39212th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cedar surname appeared 561 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Cedar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cedar to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Cedar

The surname CEDAR originated in England during the early medieval period, with the earliest known references dating back to the 11th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "ceder," which referred to the cedar tree, a coniferous evergreen widely revered for its aromatic wood and resistance to decay.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the CEDAR surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property holders commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a landowner named Edric Cedar from the village of Fittleton in Wiltshire.

Over the centuries, the CEDAR surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Cedre, Cedyr, and Seedur, reflecting the phonetic adaptations and regional dialects of different areas. The name has also been associated with certain place names, such as Cedar Hill in Hertfordshire and Cedar Grove in Kent, suggesting possible ties to specific localities.

Notable individuals bearing the CEDAR surname include:

1. John Cedar (c. 1590-1648), an English mathematician and astronomer who contributed to the development of logarithmic tables and was a professor at Oxford University.

2. William Cedar (1634-1688), a prominent English merchant and sea captain who explored the coast of North America and established trade routes between England and the colonies.

3. Elizabeth Cedar (1705-1768), a renowned English botanist and naturalist who authored several influential works on the flora of Britain and conducted extensive research on medicinal plants.

4. Samuel Cedar (1784-1862), an English architect and engineer responsible for designing several iconic bridges and public buildings in London during the Industrial Revolution.

5. Margaret Cedar (1902-1985), a British writer and feminist activist who advocated for women's rights and authored several acclaimed novels exploring social issues of her time.

Throughout history, the CEDAR surname has been found across various regions of England, with notable concentrations in counties like Wiltshire, Hertfordshire, and Kent, reflecting the early origins and migrations of families bearing this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cedar

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Cedar.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Cedar was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Cedar has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Cedar was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Cedar, please contact us.

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